Valve Confirms Dota 2 For 2011

Imagine if you will that some years ago Garry’s Mod would have gotten so big and successful that it completely overshadowed Half Life 2 to the extent that Valve wouldn’t even have bothered to release Episode 1 and 2. Not the perfect analogy, mind you, but we’re willing to bet that’s what Warcraft 3 fans who don’t particularly enjoy World of Warcraft feel like. Or would feel like if they actually existed.

Valve is adding a new chapter to its Dota romance by announcing both a firm release date and a Dota contest at Gamescom. “The International is the first public DOTA 2 event and will give the tens of millions of gamers playing Dota around the world their first look at the new game,” said Valve president Gabe Newell.

“I have had the good fortune to watch the competitors as they prepare for the tournament, and the level of play is extraordinary.” And if they’re even half as dedicated as the Dota players we’ve met, so are the levels of obsession with the game in question.